I feel the need to point something out here, when the plot does get going it does not become a Shounen Fight Manga, it becomes a deconstruction of a Shounen Fight Manga. Its not afraid to make fun of its readers or explicitly point out things like, well this is common in Dragon Ball. There is always that little tinge of sarcasm in every scene no matter how important it is.

Plot, exposition, copious amounts of dialog and leaning on the forth wall so hard you need to reinforce it, if this reminds you of Bake/Nisemonogatari well it should, since the series creator, NisiOisin also created Medaka Box

Also throughout this entire episode, pay attention to the blue loli. It adds flavor to the episode

^_^

Shiranui is actually a very interesting character, On some level Medaka recognizes her as dangerous. Not simply jealous of her and Zenkichi but as someone threatening somehow. There have been a couple of hints about it in the Manga but still nothing definite about her.

Spoiler Alert! Click to show or hide

In the new arc, Medaka has put together a team of people she knows won't get killed in a deadly life and death battle and Shiranui is one of the people she chooses, considering the rest are her most deadly enemies from previous arcs, that says something about Medaka's opinion of Shiranui

Love episode 4. Funny. Zenkichi like a boss winning against Akune. Medaka with the cute face. Want more romance, definitely!!!!
Akune still irritating, Sukinai or the blue haired short girl is pretty interesting and shady.`All in all, Akune should just get runned over with a truck and Zenkichi and Medaka should date while the blue haired short girl plots something ominous.

This series definitely gets my approval. it's full of fun characters and interactions. When it gets a little more serious though those occasional times, you really can feel them.. I've never read the manga myself, so yeah. I hope it goes beyond 12 episodes. I wonder why they are ending the 1st season at that specifically?

A lot of shows seem to start with 12 episodes just to test the waters. I think Beelzebub was originally listed for 12 but went much longer.

I'm told most of the Production Committees see more value in a 12 episode series as well. It gets some added interest in the Manga, it puts a music CD on the shelves and promotes the voice talent and gets some DVD out for sale as well. 12 episodes is a cheap enough investment for some decent short term gains. More than 12 doesn't net them near as much benefit after the first 12 except for the DVD sales.

If it is reasonably well received we might get a second set of 12, which is good because that's when we start getting into the good stuff.
and if it dose exceptionally well they might just bump right up to 24 for this season and lay things out for more beyond.

Fans of the series know that the best stuff is yet to come so that might be a factor as well.

It's killing me thinking we might not get to see Kumagawa animated, but Ratings are the be all and end all.

~I actually liked the manga even though it was full of nonsense most of the time and I'm not too fond of the "Invincible Student Council President, Medaka." If you've read the manga, you'll know that Medaka is just so good at everything that nobody can beat her.

~I actually liked the manga even though it was full of nonsense most of the time and I'm not too fond of the "Invincible Student Council President, Medaka." If you've read the manga, you'll know that Medaka is just so good at everything that nobody can beat her.

Being overpowered is pretty much the main premise of the series
Not just Medaka but her enemies as well, just look at Anshin'in

The series is kind of the Crazy end of the Shonen Battle Manga series.

and yet despite all the ridiculous superpowers it all comes down to Zenkichi

What gives me hope it will do well enough to go beyond 12 episodes is the fact that the manga been running (& still is) for about 3 years in Weekly Shounen Jump along side other series such as One Piece or Naruto.MB must have a good amount of readers who enjoyed it & kept it going,so I assume a good amount of those readers are watching the anime along with new watchers & giving Gainax a good reason why to continue it (the best stopping place would be where the recently completed arc ended,which was the only ideal stopping place of the series so far).It should be much better as an anime .
Of course,life could be an unfair b*tch on us & have the anime end at 1 season with only 12 episodes .